Stop Funding Fake News

Stop Funding Fake News (SFFN) is an advocacy group which asks advertisers to stop placing ads on web sites it considers to be distributing misinformation ("fake news") for partisan or hateful reasons.[2] The organization is small and mostly anonymous, with the notable exception of British TV celebrity Rachel Riley.[2]

Stop Funding Fake News
NicknameSFFN
FormationMarch 2019 (2019-03)[1]
Websitewww.stopfundingfakenews.com

History

The campaign began in March 2019,[1] inspired by the U.S. success of Sleeping Giants and backed by Rachel Riley.[3][2] Sleeping Giant had convinced several advertisers not to advertise on the Breitbart News website.[2]

In March 2019, the campaign helped persuade charity Macmillan Cancer Support not to advertise with The Canary,[4] which it described as promoting conspiracy theories, defending antisemitism, and publishing fake news,[5] after which Riley was targeted by trolls on Twitter.[6] The action reportedly led to The Canary, which said they were "susceptible to pressure from political Zionists, and our advertising revenue is under fire", downsizing its operations.[7][8][9] Then Labour Party MP Chris Williamson described the SFFN's campaign against The Canary as "sinister".[10]

The same week as The Canary's decison, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon's far right TR News, another target of the campaign, gave up on advertising to rely solely on donations.[5]

By September 2019, Ted Baker, Adobe Inc., Chelsea FC, eBay and Manchester United were among the 40 brands and charities that the group had persuaded to block out fake news sites.[3][7] In October 2019, MP Mary Creagh credited it with identifying advertisements for tours of the Houses of Parliament on Breitbart.[11][12]

The campaign has also successfully targeted the right-wing Politicalite and Westmonster, Dorset Eye, and left wing Evolve Politics.[11][2][13]

Site funding

The campaign has invited donations to support its work and hoped to employ 2 people in 2020; raising c. £2000 in the ten months since it began.[14]

See also

References
  1. Cohen (2019).
  2. Frot (2019).
  3. McCarthy, John (25 June 2019). "Stop Funding Fake News in talks with media agencies to demonetise misinformation sites". The Drum. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  4. Frot, Mathilde (27 March 2019). "Anti fake news activists persuade cancer charity to remove advert on The Canary". Jewish News. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. "Our fight against fake news is starting to turn the tide". politics.co.uk. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  6. "Rachel Riley in 'tears' over messages of support as trolls call for 'boycott'". www.thejc.com. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  7. Jewish News Reporter (2019).
  8. Tobitt, Charlotte (5 August 2019). "The Canary blames attacks by 'political Zionists' for failing business model as cuts fall". Press Gazette. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. Doherty (2019).
  10. "Suspended MP Chris Williamson defends pro-Corbyn hyper-partisan The Canary, attacking 'sinister' bid to close it". www.thejc.com. 4 August 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  11. ITV Report (2019).
  12. Daly (2019).
  13. "Google ads are supporting fake news - here's how we stop them". politics.co.uk. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  14. gofundme (2020).

Sources


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